Notes / Commercial Description:
We brewed this ale with around 40% rye as a base malt and let our sour yeast and bacteria eat away at it in oak barrels for over a year creating a sour ale with a complex character of rye spice, oak and a subtle funk.

Reviews by RaulMondesi:

There was once this lil minx in Jr. high that would make Raul shrivel up in adolescent angst as he walked by her everyday. (She was a freak and Raul was well justified in doing so.) Well, Sour in the Rye reminds me of that; Raul's lil heart would just twist up in sour, tart angst as he saw her. And you know what? I still like it.

More User Reviews:

Thanks to Jeff for splitting his bottle. Now that this is available in Michigan, I can decide whether or not it's worth dropping 17-18$ on a few bottles for myself. Super clear and clean amber body with a fuzzy and fizzling, off-white cap. The head sparks up like foam from a soda and is gone in just a few moments. I've gotta say... I wasn't expecting this kind of clarity from a wild ale, but it looks really nice.

Whew... crazy tart aroma. The kind of aroma that stings your nostrils and gets jettisoned into your brain cells, sending your saliva glands into sprinkler mode. Lots and lots of vinegar, lactic acid and wet oak, accompanied by lighter fruit reminders like lemon flesh, peels, and wet cherry skins. Tannins abound with some woody dryness at the end. This is going to be tart... I just know it.

First sip causes immediate puckering of the lips, cheeks touching, glands sweating, etc... Super tart up-front, no holds barred type of shit here. Wincing white wine vinegar, soaked oak, acidic and lactic acid, prompt stone fruit skins, a touch of lemon juice, and the most faint appearance of dry rye in the finish. Perhaps my senses are tricking me with the rye dryness... it could be a quality of the oak-aging as well.

Sour in the Rye is a sourheads dream, but be warned - while there is plentiful vinous presence here, white grapes, oak, and the like, the vinegar aspect outweighs it by quite a bit. I know many sour fans who aren't too keen on the heavy "vinegar" flavors, but luckily - I am, and so Sour in the Rye floats almost every boat that I have. Thin, wet, crispy and sharp mouth feel with a gum line receding dryness in the finish.

Very awesome stuff, if you're into puckeringly sour and vinegar-laden wild ales. This brew isn't for everyone, but it's certainly for me. Although it's sometimes hard to justify spending nearly 20$ for a bottle of beer, I think I can easily make a case in my mind to keep a few bottles of Sour in the Rye stocked at all times, when I'm in the mood for something white wine-y and sour.

T: Not as sour as you'd expect. It's got a splash of funk up front, then it's a bit sweet on the mid, with a few grams of residual sugar lingering around. The finish showcases caraway, smoked toffee and a touch of dulce de leche.

M: Reasonably bubbly. Thre's enough weight here to make an impact, yet it doesn't drag down the flavor profile.

O: Not a half bad beer, really. I can't say it's all that memorable, and the sweetness on the mid-palate was off-putting. But I'd say in a few months, maybe a year even, this should be drinking well.

Bottle acquired for $21.00 at my local SoCal beer store. 7.8% ABV confirmed. 750ml brown glass bottle with standard unbranded gold pressure cap served into a Mitchell's of Lancaster flared stem-tulip in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are high; I usually like the sours that The Bruery makes.

Served cold, straight from the fridge per the label's instructions (45 F). Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a two finger beige-light khaki colour head of nice cream, good thickness, and good (~4-5+ minute) retention. Light even lacing as the head recedes. Body colour is a vibrant glowing yellow-orange. Nontransparent. Translucent. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Generally appealing for what I assume is essentially a sour blonde. No overt flaws are noticeable. It's appealing; I'm excited to try it.

T: Lacto sourness fills it out nicely. Pale malts and rye malt comprise the body, with a subtle hint of spice. Lovely fruity notes, including apricot, white grapeskin, green sour apple, and lemon. Love the acidity. A bit of oak on the finish, but it's largely uninteresting. A bit of crystal malt. Lovely balance and build, but it doesn't bring a whole lot of complexity to the table. It's nicely subtle, however. I'm really enjoying it. Some bready grains enter in the late second act; I didn't notice this initially but picked it up when it warmed. It truly is a better beer cold. Not pucker-worthy, but sour enough to repel newcomers. It's all lacto - and that's fine by me. The rye doesn't seem to add much by itself, a bit of spice and some ragged malts but little else. All around a tasty if shallow brew with an impressive balance. Very good stuff.

Mf: Smooth and wet, with a near perfect body. Nicely soft. Lovely acidity. Carbonation is ideal. Complements the flavour profile very well; I'm impressed. Doesn't get in the way. Luscious and approachable, easing the drinking experience. Great plump presence on the palate.

Dr: Quite drinkable, especially for the high ABV. I really love this stuff, but it's not without its flaws. Another solid albeit overpriced sour from The Bruery. I'd try it at a better price on draught, but it's a bit steep as is. Still, this is quality stuff and I love the experimentation with rye. Really well done.

Very few beers strike the palate with the perfect complement of sour, earth, fruit and spice. But its good news that one such beer is made in California and I'm fortunate enough to taste a sip from now and then.

Its turbulent pour leads to a quick separation of hazt golden-orange beer to anchor and a frothy and airy eggshell-white foam.Its retention is strong as is its intricate lacing patterns.

Piercing sharpness reaches the nose with lime, white wine vinegar, sour grapes and crab apples. As its mere scent locks up the jowls, other musty wood, cork, sweaty, cellar and sea air scents waft about to deliver savory and earhty impressions heading into taste.

Its raw earthiness is spicy and rustic as the rye grains complement a dry, lighlty toasted crouton taste, but with all that acidity building above. Just into the taste, the lime, apple skin and sour grape flavor takes hold and easily topples its early malt complement. Quickly developing into dries lemons, limes, apple and spiced pear, its the sourness of apple cider vinegar and light must that stems from the clean lactic sourness that finishes its taste.

Only a whisper of attic wood and lime extend, even though the ale starts out light and obviously acidic. As the malt support fades, the ale prances on with wine-like balances and textures, until a quick finish is mineral-rich and with earthen spice.

The taste of rye and sour is a challenging attempt as both types are highly polarizing and not widespread just yet. But its added complexity is undeniable taste that's salty, briney and deeply earthen.

Pours the color of blush on an apricot. orangey but golden yellow deep inside. Graceful hues adorn the edges of the glass. Head is thin , close to tan and dissolves upon hitting the glass. Some shimmering sheeting lace to slide down the glass as you drink. Nose is fragrant with rye spice. and peaches. Pepper and airy oak. There is a touch of dry sugar scent too and a bit of bread. Taste is sour. It hits the tongue like an explosion of texture. A bright sour unripe peach. A mouthwatering acidity peaks on the palate just as the malts come to the forefront from the body of the beer like an undertow. It's a bit of a surprise actually. How deep the beer is because rye is so crisp and dry to the taste. The breaddiness on the nose develops more and more as the beer warms. The spice from the rye is quite strong and it blends with a light funk. I was expecting a lot more funk but I am glad there wasn't. Finishes with a bit of leather and a body that is surpising full yet crisp lots of fruit and a bit of pepper. carbonation is moderate but not fizzy .

D - I like the smell and taste, but the lack of bubbles and intense vinegar sourness makes the 750ml serving size seem daunting - I'm not sure how Jason drank one of these on his own. On the plus side, the alcohol content is surprising and well-disguised. I wouldn't mind having this again, but I don't think it's something I'd cellar as I can only foresee it getting more acetic and less complex.

Sounds like having this on-tap remedies some of the issues I had with this one. Would like to try a glass at the Bruery some day.

With one of the best names to come across the beer scene in a while, it was really too bad that the beer was just alright.

It pours a very golden rust color that is really beautiful looking. The problem lies with the amount of carbonation that this bottle had. We popped the cap off of it and just a faint hiss sounded. I knew when I poured it into my glass that this was going to need a lot more carbonation.

The smell was of caramel and biscuit malts, spicy rye and pepper. It had a distinct sourness to it as well, like a grapefruit thats sat in the son too long. Either way, it smells very interesting because there is spice from the rye and the sourness'. Very interesting.

So with the lack of carbonation and the lower level of actual sourness, this thing was a unique brew. It has a heavy mouthfeel, so the whole experience is interesting. There is a sharp sourness first with the beer, then the rye and accompanied malts all follow. Its fairly complex, with an array of tart and spicy flavors meddling on the palate.

Overall I would like to have this on draft and see what the differences are. I would of also liked to try the first batch of this, since the reviews are higher from the 2009 run.